Imagine if someone rearranged all the keyboard shortcuts on your computer without telling you. Suddenly, pressing Ctrl+S might close a window instead of saving your work, or Ctrl+C might open a menu instead of copying text. This confusing experience is exactly what poorly implemented accesskeys can create for users who rely on keyboard shortcuts to navigate the web.
Accesskeys are HTML attributes that create keyboard shortcuts for web page elements. They're designed to help users quickly navigate to important parts of a page by pressing a key combination, usually Alt plus a letter. While well-intentioned, accesskeys often cause more problems than they solve because they can override the keyboard shortcuts that users already know and depend on.
The fundamental problem with accesskeys is that they operate in an already crowded shortcut landscape:
When accesskeys conflict with these existing shortcuts, they can prevent users from performing essential tasks, creating frustration and breaking established workflows.
Accesskeys were originally designed to improve accessibility, but they often harm it instead. Users with disabilities who rely heavily on keyboard shortcuts are precisely the ones most disrupted when accesskeys override the shortcuts they depend on for basic computer operation.
Many seemingly innocent accesskey choices create serious usability problems:
<!-- Problematic: Overrides browser shortcuts -->
<a href="/home" accesskey="h">Home</a> <!-- Alt+H: Browser history -->
<a href="/search" accesskey="f">Find</a> <!-- Alt+F: File menu -->
<a href="/help" accesskey="t">Tools</a> <!-- Alt+T: Tools menu -->
<button accesskey="r">Refresh</button> <!-- Alt+R: Refresh page -->
<!-- These override essential browser functions users rely on --><!-- Problematic: Conflicts with JAWS shortcuts -->
<button accesskey="1">Submit</button> <!-- JAWS: Navigate to heading level 1 -->
<input accesskey="e" type="text"> <!-- JAWS: Navigate to edit fields -->
<a href="/main" accesskey="m">Main</a> <!-- JAWS: Navigate to main region -->
<button accesskey="b">Back</button> <!-- JAWS: Navigate to buttons -->
<!-- Screen reader users lose essential navigation commands --><!-- Problematic: Assumes English keyboard layout -->
<button accesskey="q">Quit</button> <!-- QWERTY layout assumption -->
<a href="/year" accesskey="y">Year</a> <!-- Y key in different positions -->
<input accesskey="z" type="text"> <!-- Z key varies by layout -->
<!-- Non-English keyboards may not have these keys in expected positions -->While generally discouraged, accesskeys can occasionally be useful in specific, controlled situations:
In controlled environments where you can train users and coordinate with other shortcuts.
<!-- Acceptable in controlled environments -->
<!-- Using number keys which have fewer conflicts -->
<button accesskey="0" onclick="showHelp()">Help (Alt+0)</button>
<button accesskey="9" onclick="logout()">Logout (Alt+9)</button>
<!-- Document the shortcuts clearly -->
<div class="shortcut-help">
<h3>Keyboard Shortcuts</h3>
<ul>
<li>Alt+0: Open help</li>
<li>Alt+9: Logout</li>
</ul>
</div>The most universally accepted use of accesskeys is for skip navigation links.
<!-- Generally accepted skip link pattern -->
<a href="#main-content"
accesskey="s"
class="skip-link">
Skip to main content (Alt+S)
</a>
<!-- Though many experts now recommend skip links without accesskeys -->
<a href="#main-content" class="skip-link">
Skip to main content
</a>Number keys generally have fewer conflicts than letter keys.
<!-- Lower conflict potential with numbers -->
<nav>
<a href="/section1" accesskey="1">Section 1 (Alt+1)</a>
<a href="/section2" accesskey="2">Section 2 (Alt+2)</a>
<a href="/section3" accesskey="3">Section 3 (Alt+3)</a>
</nav>
<!-- But still document clearly and consider alternatives -->Instead of relying on accesskeys, consider these more user-friendly approaches:
Screen readers can navigate efficiently through well-structured HTML without custom shortcuts.
<!-- Clear landmark structure -->
<header>
<nav aria-label="Main navigation">
<ul>
<li><a href="/home">Home</a></li>
<li><a href="/products">Products</a></li>
<li><a href="/contact">Contact</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
</header>
<main>
<h1>Page Title</h1>
<p>Main content...</p>
</main>
<aside aria-label="Related links">
<h2>Related Information</h2>
</aside>Programmatically manage focus to guide users through your interface.
// Better than accesskeys: Smart focus management
function openModal(modalId) {
const modal = document.getElementById(modalId);
modal.style.display = 'block';
// Focus the first interactive element
const firstFocusable = modal.querySelector('button, input, select, textarea, a[href]');
if (firstFocusable) {
firstFocusable.focus();
}
}
function handleFormSubmission() {
// After form submission, focus on success message
const successMessage = document.getElementById('success-message');
successMessage.tabIndex = -1;
successMessage.focus();
}Make important actions visually obvious without requiring shortcuts.
<!-- Clear visual priority without accesskeys -->
<div class="action-panel">
<button class="primary-action">Continue to Checkout</button>
<button class="secondary-action">Save for Later</button>
</div>
<nav class="quick-actions">
<h2 class="visually-hidden">Quick Actions</h2>
<a href="/dashboard" class="prominent-link">Dashboard</a>
<a href="/settings" class="prominent-link">Settings</a>
<a href="/help" class="prominent-link">Help</a>
</nav>If your situation absolutely requires accesskeys, follow these precautions:
If you implement accesskeys, thorough testing is essential:
From a business perspective, accesskeys often create more risk than benefit:
Many major websites have removed accesskeys entirely, finding that better overall navigation design serves users more effectively than custom shortcuts.
Accessibility experts and major organizations have mixed views on accesskeys:
Accesskeys represent one of web development's well-intentioned ideas that often backfire in practice. While the goal of providing keyboard shortcuts is admirable, the reality is that most accesskey implementations create more problems than they solve by interfering with the shortcuts users already know and depend on.
The most effective approach to keyboard accessibility isn't adding more shortcuts—it's creating websites with clear structure, logical navigation, and proper focus management that work seamlessly with the tools and shortcuts users already use. When users can navigate efficiently using their existing knowledge and assistive technologies, everyone benefits.
If you're considering accesskeys, ask yourself: Will these shortcuts truly help users, or are there better ways to improve navigation? In most cases, the answer points toward cleaner HTML structure, better visual design, and respecting the keyboard shortcuts users already know.
Greadme's tools can help you identify accesskey conflicts and suggest better alternatives for creating accessible, keyboard-friendly websites that work with existing user shortcuts.
Check Your Website's Keyboard Accessibility Today